Sleep Tech / Registered Polysomnographic Tech - Lovelace Westside Hospital

You may be eligible for a sign-on bonus.

Join our team as a night shift, full-time, Sleep Center Registered Polysomnographic Tech in Albuquerque, NM.

Fulfilling your purpose begins here: 

People First, Always. Here’s how we take care of our people: 

• Medical, vision, dental health insurance, health savings account / flexible spending, competitive pay, paid time off, 401k retirement plan with company match, employee assistance program and more. 

Your team is bigger than your department: 

• Lovelace Westside Hospital provides care to Albuquerque’s Westside and Rio Rancho, including a 24-hour emergency department and a wide range of inpatient and outpatient surgical capabilities such as Ear Nose and Throat (ENT), bariatric and orthopedic service lines.
• We believe healthcare is a team sport and every player has something to contribute. We show compassion, celebrate differences and treat one another with respect. 

A polysomnographic technologist works under the general supervision of the medical director or designee to provide comprehensive evaluation and treatment of sleep disorders including in center and out of center sleep testing, diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, comprehensive patient care and direct patient education. A polysomnographic technologist is able to perform the duties defined for a sleep technician and is able to provide oversight of other sleep center staff. The polysomnographic technologist is credentialed in sleep technology.

• Perform all duties of sleep technicians as defined by department sleep tech competencies including:

  • Follow procedural protocols [such as Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT), Maintenance of Wakefulness Test (MWT), parasomnia studies, PAP, oxygen titration etc.] to ensure collection of appropriate data.

  • Perform appropriate physiological calibrations to ensure proper signals and make required adjustments.

  • Follow “lights out” procedures to establish and document baseline values (such as body position, oxyhemoglobin saturation, respiratory and heart rates, etc.)

  • Perform data acquisition while monitoring study-tracing quality to ensure signals are artifact-free. Identify, correct and document artifact.

  • Document routine observations, including sleep stages and clinical events, changes in procedure, and other significant events in order to facilitate scoring and interpretation of polysomnographic results.

  • Implement appropriate interventions (including actions necessary for patient safety and therapeutic intervention such as positive airway pressure, oxygen administration, etc).

  • Follow “lights on” procedures to verify integrity of collected data and complete the data collection process (e.g. repeat the physiological and instrument calibrations and instructs the patient on completing questionnaires, checking for completeness, etc.)

  • Score sleep/wake stages by applying professionally accepted guidelines.

  • Score clinical events (such as respiratory events, cardiac events, limb movements, arousals, etc.) utilizing AASM standards.

  • Generate accurate reports by tabulating sleep/wake and clinical event data.

  • Perform patient education and instruction appropriate for out of center sleep testing

• Follow Sleep Study Preparation and follow-up including: Collect, analyze and integrate patient information in order to identify and meet the patient-specific needs (physical/mental limitations, current emotional/physiological status regarding the testing procedure, pertinent medical/social history). Determine final testing parameters/procedures in conjunction with the ordering physician or clinical director and laboratory protocols. Review the patient's history and verify the medical order. Follow sleep center protocols related to the sleep study. When patient arrives, verify identification, collect documents and obtain consent for the study. Explain the procedure and orient the patient for either in center or out of center sleep testing. Select appropriate equipment and calibrate for testing to determine proper functioning and make adjustments, if necessary. Apply electrodes and sensors according to accepted published standards. Perform routine positive airway pressure (PAP) interface fitting and desensitization

• Maintain safety practices according to hospital policy to ensure safe delivery of patient care

• Maintain effective communication with patients, families, peers, and other departments

• Collaborate with members of the healthcare team. Maintains patient confidentiality
• Take ownership of assignments; other duties as assigned or requested

• Communicate and listen effectively with internal and external customers; effectively understands instructions and shares knowledge

• Cooperate and interacts with supervisor, peers, other departments, and all customer groups demonstrating our commitment to “service”

• Provide patient education utilizing sleep center specific protocols

• Evaluate sleep study related equipment and inventory
• Review and evaluate sleep studies and provide feedback to staff
• Assist the medical director and/or manager in all aspects of sleep center operations

• High School Diploma or GED
• Successful completion of a polysomnography program, or Respiratory Care Program, or Electroneurodiagnostic Technologist Program, or AASM Accredited Sleep Technologist Program (A-Step)
• Six (6) months previous experience as a PSG technician and participation in an average of 10 hours per year of AMA PRA Category I CME or CEC sleep related activities over a three-year period or equivalent minimum education
• CPR or BLS certification

• Must be RST credentials through ABSM American Board of Sleep Medicine OR Must be RPSGT credentials through BRPT Board of Registered Polysomnography Technicians OR Must be Sleep Disorder Specialist (SDS) through National Board of Respiratory Care

• Either Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT-SDS) OR Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT-SDS)